


All I want for Christmas...

by Zombieheroine



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Christmas Decorations, Christmas Fluff, Confessions, Conjunx Endura, Cute, Mutual Pining, Presents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-08 22:12:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5515205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zombieheroine/pseuds/Zombieheroine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Optimus is very curious about Earth traditions, and the christmas-thing is one of his favorites. Primes don't party and so he doesn't partake in the Christmas party, but even Optimus Prime has one special wish, one little thing he would like for Christmas...</p>
            </blockquote>





	All I want for Christmas...

**Author's Note:**

  * For [The TF Fandom](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=The+TF+Fandom).
  * Translation into 中文 available: [All I want for Christmas... 中文版](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7857604) by [assisapple](https://archiveofourown.org/users/assisapple/pseuds/assisapple)



> I wrote this yesterday evening in my mother's childhood home's kitchen in one sitting. I wanted to write one Christmas themed fic, and this came out. I edited this just a bit myself, but wanted to show this to everyone anyway.
> 
> I think it's cute, but I'm Finnish so it's probably sad too.
> 
> Happy holidays!

The human traditions were a big interest of Optimus', especially those things that transcended their cultural and national bounds. Peace and good cheer were things he personally approved of greatly, and if those things encouraged people to do good it was all the better. So this ”Christmas” thing caught his interest immediately when he first heard of it on the radio when the human hosts of a local entertainment broadcast started to chat about it in the mid-November. 

Optimus didn't bring it up with their human allies any more than with his fellow Autobots because he was uncertain if the subject was appropriate for a Prime, but it turned out he didn't have to. 

One day on the last week of the November Agent Fowler reported to post to check on them and their base in a rather frail state of health. He wore a dark visor on his optics and carried a large bottle of water with him, and on the top of that requested they'd speak with more quiet voices than usual.

When Optimus inquired what had happened to him, the answer was ”the department's Christmas party.”

And then on the very first week of December Miko turned up in the base with three large cardboard boxes full of decorations, and insisted that they'd make the silo more ”festive.” She had brought them shiny green, red, and gold ribbons, decorative balls with the same colours, strings with little lights on them and a small plastic statues portraying a caricature of a man made out of frozen water. 

Bulkhead had just went along with Miko's wishes and driven her around the town buying the decorations without a question, but when Raf and Jack excitedly joined her with putting up the decorations, the others certainly had questions. Everyone else gathered closer to the children, while Optimus stayed a bit on the sidelines although he keenly listened in.

”It's for Christmas,” Rafael said with his small arms full of fluffy, glittering ribbons and a smile on his face when Bumblebee beeped his questions about the theme of the festival. 

”It's one of the most important celebrations of the religion called Christianity! My family is all Catholic, and all December my mom and aunts and grandmas cook and decorate, and we go to church every Sunday and partake in charities, and on Christmas Eve we all go over to my grandma's big house and have dinner, and on Christmas Day we go to Christmas mass to celebrate the birthday of the Son of God, then we open the presents and then we go over to one of my auntie's and have another great dinner.”

”Ah, so it's a spiritual festival,” Arcee said, turning to Jack who looked very much like he was hearing the description of Christmas for the first time, too.

”Well... Yeah, originally,” Jack said to Arcee. ”I don't know, my family has never really been that religious. My Mom's sister and their mother come over for a few days and we spend some time together... all my cousins are adults and have their own families, so they mostly just send cards and call us. Once we went to skiing together, but that was before my parents got divorced...”

”So... Not religious then?” Arcee asked, frowning. 

Jack shrugged. ”Well, it is, kind of. Originally, anyway.”

”Then why do you celebrate?” Ratchet asked. He had been listening to the conversation while he begrudgingly supervised Miko while she was tossing the decorations here and there.

”It's a tradition,” Jack said to the medic.

”What do you celebrate, then?” Ratchet asked, narrowing his optics.

Jack and Raf exchanged a look, both clearly wondering how to explain it.

Rafael stepped up for the challenge. ”In the mythology of a religion called Christianity there is a figure who is God born as a human, and he sacrificed himself so all the evil of mankind could be forgiven. Christmas is his birthday.”

”Or more like the date we officially celebrate it on,” Jack added.

Rafael nodded. ”Yes, Christmas is actually timed so it took over an old pagan festival, Winter Solstice. It's when the day is on its shortest on the northern half of Earth, and after that our planet turns again so that the sunlight hits the northern half a bit more by every day. Many old pagan religions, especially in the continent of Europe, believed the seasons of Earth follow the circle of life, and winter is the death part.”

”Wow, sounds cheerful,” Arcee chuckled and frowned at the bright decorations they were putting up. 

”Actually it was also about life among death,” Rafael informed her. ”Most of the decoration traditions, even the candles, are actually relics of paganism. Christianity has mostly taken over, but the traditions have mixed up a lot during history.”

”Not in Japan!” Miko cheerfully cut in, threw herself over Jack's shoulder and tried to force a glittering red fake-nose on him. ”We just like the present and the aesthetic! I got my cellphone from my parents last Christmas. I love Christmas treats, and we get to throw a party! This is my first Christmas on this side of the planet, and I intend to make the most of it, whether you like it or not!”

Jack managed to fight off the red nose but gave up when Miko forced on a headband with soft antlers on it. Then she declared she would start to play heavy metal covers of popular Christmas carols for them all, and that was what was in store for them for the rest of the December.

Optimus didn't mind it much, if anything he found it endearing and interesting, but what he hadn't anticipated was that the actual Christmas party was just to come. 

The children all intended to spend the actual Christmas Eve and the following days with their families, but the 23. day was still just a day like any other, and that was when all three of them with the assistance of their guardian Autobots dragged in even more decorations, including a tall, plastic tree with electric lights, food, music and special cinematic products. It was a lot, and when Miko put in the first of the Christmas CDs she had brought and a song apparently called ”Jingle Bell Rock” started blaring in the base, Optimus discreetly excused himself for a drive.

It was already dark outside and there was little traffic, but when he passed the high-way he was greeted with a traffic jam despite the very atypical time of a solar cycle. Usually Optimus preferred the wide high-ways with relatively high speed limits, but now that his usual route was jammed he drove to the town instead.

Jasper was almost uncannily empty, and Optimus didn't have any trouble with his large altform on the streets, and with a lot of space he was happy to slow down and look around himself more. 

The Christmas Eve was to be tomorrow, and Optimus' research of the event had advanced considerably during the month. There had been sweets and cards, decorations and special episodes of TV programs, but also stress and worries, calls to relatives that weren't well-liked, and lots and lots of shopping. 

Presents seemed to be a part of the spirit of Christmas, although Optimus' understanding of the purpose was incomplete. The children had each made a list of things they wanted, but they had also been equally excited about buying presents for each other.

Agent Fowler had one day opened up to Optimus that he had absolutely no idea what would be an appropriate present for nurse Darby, and Optimus had gotten a picture that his problem was a mixture of limited financial resources, lack of imagination and an intention to court a possible conjunx but not knowing how to go about it.

Thinking of a conjunx made Optimus' spark ache, and he didn't think he had been much of a help when he said his idea of an ideal present for someone like that would be a sword or a dagger with a meaningful quote carved in it. It had been a silly thing to say anyway, it's not like that particular short and fumbling courtship had gone anywhere. 

Optimus' favorite part of Christmas were the lights. The city of Jasper had put up many colourful lights in shapes of snowflakes and stars on lampposts, the businesses had put up many lights of their own, and people had decorated their houses and yards in a similar fashion. It was dark and chilly outside, but the bright lights of gold and red along with the rich green trees with candles and ribbons matched the darkness beautifully. The sea of gentle, warm lights made it almost feel like festivals on Cybertron, and Optimus was equally comforted by them as he was reminded by the hollow ache in his spark. 

He drove through the city and took a turn to a road that circulated it. The message of peace had made Optimus smile when Rafael had dwelled in the history of Christmas and the ”true meaning” of it. Especially the story about the Christmas Truce of 1914 during the conflict called the First World War had resonated with Optimus, and during December he had more than once wished Cybertronians had had a similar festival.

The sky was bright and full of stars, and the road was clear and open. The wind against him was cool and crispy, and on a whim he took a turn to a small dirt road that took him up a hill and to a cliff where he could see the entire city and all of its bright lights against the darkness of the night. Once there, he parked and settled down. He felt closer to the stars there, and the sea of little lights was incredibly beautiful. 

There had been a lot of talk about Christmas miracles, but Optimus mostly gave the credit of that to the myth about the birth of the savior of the mankind. But in the quiet of the night, the darkness that somehow felt deeper considering the knowledge of the position of the planet that turned away from the sun, made him wonder if this was the time he would have to try his luck. After all, half of the planet's population was going on about the deepest wishes they harbored and how this was the time of the stellar cycle they could come true, almost like presents. 

Optimus pondered and considered, weighting the options and possible outcomes. He still had the contact information and the little access code to that special private frequency. He had thought about deleting them many times, but every time he had managed to come up with an excuse not to, one of the most popular ones being that the other mech would still have his information and it would be foolish to give up only his end, even though deep down Optimus had always known he secretly wished he could one day use them again. 

Wishes came true, but the thing about presents was that you would have to ask for them first. 

Optimus came to a conclusion there was nothing to lose. He dialed the frequency, activated the access code, and called Megatron. 

The line hummed and called the other end, knocking for them to pick up. His frequency hadn't been blocked. Optimus' spark beat so hard it hurt.

The humming stopped. Someone picked up.

“I can't believe you still have my frequency,” Megatron's voice said straight to Optimus' audio feed.

Optimus' spark jumped and skipped a pulse. “I can't believe you answered.”

“I never pass on a challenge,” Megatron said.

“I know,” Optimus replied and hummed a little laugh, even though he had dents and scars to prove the claim. He felt warm and tingly all over.

“I know you do. What do you want? Why did you call?” Megatron asked, cutting straight to the point.

Optimus hummed again because he didn't know himself. He had made a selfish little wish on this one quiet night and chased it a bit. If there was a simple reason, he didn't know it and thus couldn't tell the other mech.   
“It's almost Christmas, that's why,” he said.

“Yes, I am aware,” Megatron said with a scoff.

“You are?” Optimus asked, openly surprised.

“Unfortunately, I am,” Megatron replied. “My medical officer is a fan of Earth's culture, and he has managed to infect the rest of my crew with this foolish festival. I have just witnessed my CMO harassing my Air Commander with a branch of poisonous organic flora and using it as an excuse to molest him. Trust me, I know.”

The notion was confusing, but Optimus brushed it aside. “I don't know what that is about, but I hear it is a nice festival. It's about peace and remembering those dear to you.”

Megatron huffed. “That sounds like you, no wonder you're excited. That doesn't explain why it's infected my crew, though.” 

“I hear it can only be an aesthetically appealing as well,” Optimus offered. 

“Hm. Sounds more like it,” Megatron said. 

They were quiet for a moment, and the line remained open. Optimus listened to Megatron's deep vents like he had used to do a long time ago, and became conscious of the rhythm of his own venting at the same time. 

“Why'd you really call me?” Megatron asked. His voice had changed into a softer, smoother one Optimus hadn't heard in a long while. His spark hammered inside its chamber, the terrible ache as painful as it was sweet, and he knew his own voice would change into a softer one to match the one Megatron was using. 

“Because I wanted to,” Optimus breathed. “Because it's Christmas, and a friend of mine consulted me about presents a few weeks ago. It made me think.”

“To think about what?” Megatron urged him on. 

“A present I planned to give once, but never got to do so,” Optimus said. 

“What present? To whom?” Megatron asked, en edge of impatience in his voice.

“A gift to court a mech I wished would become my conjunx endura,” Optimus said. 

“Oh? I had no idea you had such feelings towards someone,” Megatron said. The edge was gone now, and his voice was more quiet than Optimus had perhaps ever heard, and almost faint. 

“I did,” Optimus said in a sigh. “I planned to give them a customized weapon. A dagger with a verse of a poem carved in it. I don't think that helped my friend, though.”

“Then they are not courting a true warrior. Otherwise that would have been a perfect choice,” Megatron answered. 

Another silence full of only their vents circling air followed. The sound and the soft wind made Optimus imagine Megatron right there next to him, and he gave himself a rare permission to cherish the dream image for now. 

Again Megatron broke the silence. “I miss you,” he confessed in a harsh sigh, like he resented the fact. 

Optimus took in a sharp invent of air, then sighed softly. “You know I will never join your movement,” he gently said.

“I know. But I still miss you,” Megatron said and scoffed, maybe at himself. 

Optimus listened to his venting for a few kliks and enjoyed that he had heard those words, and those words held a meaning that was true and now his, forever. “I miss you, too,” he confessed in turn. 

Megatron breathed out harshly, and the line crackled. Optimus heard him swallow.

Optimus felt light-headed and unusually courageous. “You know, if the time was right and I had the chance, I would still give that present with the same intent. Because... I still do.”

There was more crackling, then a long pause. The venting stilled for a moment too. Megatron's voice was grim but soft when he answered: “And it would still be perfect. Because I still do as well.”

If Optimus had been in his botform his coolant tubes might have overflown and made his optics leak. Instead he took deep and calm invents of breath and thanked some nameless deity or the spirit of the Earth festival for granting him this little moment, this little truth he could store deep within his spark and carry with him until the end.

“Megatron?”

“Yes?”

“Happy Christmas.”

Megatron scoffed, and Optimus could imagine him rolling his optics and expected the feed to cut, but one last present was granted to him: “Happy Christmas, Optimus.”

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [A Bot for all Seasons](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13453419) by [lastSaskatchewanPirate](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lastSaskatchewanPirate/pseuds/lastSaskatchewanPirate)




End file.
